War Tax Resisters Make a Mockery of Tax Auction

From the Cuba (New York) Patriot on comes this article that shows some of the creative auction-disrupting tactics of war tax resisters at that time:

We were talking last week about tax resistance, and an interesting article came to our attention about a group of tax resisters in western Massachusetts

It seems that one family has refused to pay federal income tax for the past 13 years, and the IRS finally tried to auction off the family’s house to pay the tax bill.

The IRS set a minimum “floor bid” of $5,100 for the home — and no one bid it.

One bidder offered 42 blocks of ice, to symbolize the end of the 42-year Cold War.

Another bid free psychotherapy for stressed-out IRS employees.

Others offered food and other barter items.

It seems that the free spirit of Thoreau’s Walden and Shay’s Rebellion has not faded from the western Massachusetts hills, and the IRS now has title to the family’s home — but has yet to take possession.

It will be interesting to see what the taxman does with the house after throwing the family onto the street. We’ll keep you posted.

And by the way — it appears that there are thousands of quiet tax protestors all over the nation, all refusing to pay some or all of their federal taxes. Most of them are protesting the fact that 87% of the tax money raised goes to the Pentagon.


On , The Rome (New York) Daily Sentinel carried a dispatch from Peking about the struggle of liberals there to establish a legislature. They used tax resistance in their struggle. Excerpts:

For Immediate Parliament

 On , a formal demand will be made upon the throne for the immediate convocation of a national parliament. The authors of the exaction to be attempted are the delegates to the Provincial Assemblies who have the support of organizations of merchants.

The merchants are furthering the aims of the delegates by refusing to pay the stamp tax until the regent comes to their way of thinking.